iSo ECHOES OF OLD COUNTY LIFE. 



youngest a baby in arms. All went pleasantly enough 

 on the voyage to the Cape, though my brother observed 

 that his commander paid marked attention to the army 

 captain's wife, who was a very handsome woman. On 

 their arrival at Port Stephens, the military captain 

 disembarked and took up his residence there, and the 

 naval captain was an admitted visitor to his house, and 

 became a too frequent attendant on the lady of the 

 household. The ship remained about a fortnight loading 

 her cargo, and then one fine night weighed anchor and 

 sailed for Madras. On my brother taking charge of the 

 watch at four o'clock a.m., one of the seamen told him 

 that a boat with the commander in it had come along- 

 side soon after twelve o'clock, and that he was accom- 

 panied by the captain's wife, and that she was aboard. 

 My brother was indignant, and immediately went to the 

 commander's cabin, and asked if the story were true. 

 " Yes," he said ; " her husband has behaved ill to her, and 

 she has determined to go home to her friends. She has 

 placed herself under my protection, and I have consented 

 to take her on to Madras, and send her home overland 

 to England." My brother was determined to be no 

 party to the proceedings, and declared that he would 

 " put the ship about " and land the lady at Port 

 Stephens. The captain then asserted his authority, 

 and forbade his doing so, and he, as chief officer, 

 knew he was powerless, but determined when the vessel 

 got to her destination to send a full account of the 

 proceeding to Messrs. Green, and exonerate himself 

 and his brother officers from all responsibility in the 

 transaction. 



